Even the greatest projects start small…
UPDATE MARCH 3: Video of debate posted, better quality version may yet come. UPDATE MARCH 4: New press coverage with another quote from me! And you can see my more in-depth, journalistic analysis here.
The debate wrapped up a few hours ago, excellently moderated by the stellar Jennifer Rubin from The Washington Post. Her paper actually quoted me:
But even lesser-known candidates framed themselves as an alternative to sending Hogan, who left two terms in office with high job approval ratings, to help tip the razor-thin balance of power in the chamber toward Republicans.
“We need a Democrat, not Larry Hogan,” said candidate Brian Frydenborg, a journalist who has never held public office.
The other five Democratic candidates have struggled to compete with Trone and Alsobrooks for money and attention in the race.
“Let’s make this a three-person race. We can do better,” said one of them, Brian E. Frydenborg of Montgomery County, a writer, researcher and consultant.
No other candidate besides Rep. David Trone and County Executive Alsobrooks were quoted at all by either paper. I will be on the lookout for other coverage, so this page will likely be updated soon.
*Update March 4: I was also the only second-tier candidate quoted by local outlet MoCo360:
In his closing statement, Frydenborg bemoaned the frequent verbal warfare between Alsobrooks and Trone, amid the dearth of substantive policy differences between the two. “I think David and Angela have excellent backgrounds in many ways, [but] I’m very disappointed about the way they talk to each other and the sniping,” he said. “It’s not about the issues. I don’t know what they were attacking each other over—I can’t understand it half the time.”
It’s not a lot, but on that metric, and on how besides Trone and Alsobrooks no other candidate went into the detail or level of substance I did, and how I got the most applause after those two, I think it’s fair to say I came in third.
The only serious poll out has Trone statistically tied with the likely Republican Senate nominee, popular former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, and Alsobrooks losing to Hogan by a lot. It’s just one poll, but it’s a sign we can do better. I was the only candidate from the second-tier to challenge either Trone or Alsobrooks, and I challenged both repeatedly during the debate along the lines I laid out here.
Help me make this a three-person race, spread the word and donate now!